Saudi bans beIN Sports viewing

Qatar-based beIN Sports is suffering much the same fate as its sister Al Jazeera news channel as part of the fall-out of the diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Reuters is quoting Saudi Arabia’s state press agency saying that the Kingdom has banned the import and sale of beIN Sports digital set-top boxes, and prohibited the renewal – or sale of new subscriptions to the sports services.

Saudi Arabia’s General Commission for Audiovisual Media, in a statement, said it was acting out of “concern for the rights of its citizens and residents” without elaborating any further. However, the Reuters report says that viewers with current subscriptions would not be affected.

beIN operates a portfolio of sports channels and is owned by beIN Media Group. The company was spun off from Al Jazeera in December 2013.